VISTA Member STORIES

Hunter joined the DCI-VISTA program in the late Summer of 2016 and stayed with his host-site community, the Town of Buena Vista, for two years. He worked on issues related to economic and local small business development, creating a database needed for important historic preservation work, grant writing, and helping develop the Main Street Program in Buena Vista.

Hunter is now pursuing a law degree, Class of 2021, at the University of Chicago.

Destinee Lukianoff | Leadville, CO | Main Street Revitalization VISTA

Destinee had been with the AmeriCorps VISTA program since 2014 but joined the DCI team in the Spring of 2016, doing her two years of service in the City of Leadville, CO. Specifically, Destinee worked on the Leadville Main Street program which operates as a program under the City to provide a vision for the future of downtown Leadville, and provide a plan that gives direction for decisions about beautification, historic preservation, and revitalization of public spaces as strategies for economic growth. In one year alone, Destinee and the Main Street Program in Leadville raised $26,000 towards beautification and activating public space projects. Destinee also lead the charge on Historic Structural Assessments for a number of historically significant buildings on Main Street.

Carl joined the DCI-VISTA team in February of 2018 with a Master's of Public Policy in Regional Economic Development from George Mason University. Carl worked on a number of economic development projects in Huerfano County including heritage tourism, an industrial park, events, helped form the local Business Alliance, and wrote a number of grants ranging from a recovery grant for the wildfires of 2018, the Colorado Tourism Office, History Colorado, and the Department of Local Affairs for a business marketing grant.

After Carl's year of service, he then officially worked for the County as the Director of Economic Development and Tourism.

Rob Warner | Longmont, CO | Creative District Coordinator

Rob is an established and professional graphic designer and has done work for such clients as Kroger and the City of Cincinnati but decided to take a year from his career to give back by doing a year of VISTA. He joined the Longmont Downtown Development Authority under which the local Creative District operates and was able to make important connections and partnerships with local creatives, artists, small businesses, the library, and more to put Longmont artists and the Creative District on the map. During his time in Longmont, Rob designed the widely successful "Shop Loco" campaign logo and brand as well as leveraging a total of $39,000 in both cash and in-kind donations and grants.

Andrew Wallace| Trinidad, CO | Downtown Development Coordinator

Andrew began his AmeriCorps VISTA service at the City of Trinidad in August of 2017 under the Development Services Department. There he worked on a number of wide ranging issues including revising the downtown rental assistance program, the affordable artists' live-work housing project in Trindad, updated the Main Street Facade Program and the revolving loan fund for small local businesses, among other projects.

After Andrew's term of service, he became a volunteer coordinator for the Phil Weiser campaign for Attorney General of the State of Colorado.